


Unforeseen Complications

by WoodlandGoddess1



Series: Winter Rarepairs 2018 [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Biphobia, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Past Sophia/Arthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 14:14:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17326532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WoodlandGoddess1/pseuds/WoodlandGoddess1
Summary: Arthur Pendragon looked like a broken man when he pulled Guinevere Leodegrance into a vacant classroom. Pale and shaking, and his gaze watery, he looked fit to collapse.





	Unforeseen Complications

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the prompt:
> 
> "Modern AU - Character A has spent the last nine months telling their family about their amazing partner and they just dumped them before the winter break. Character A begs Character B to be their fake partner."
> 
> Thanks, Millie, for donating the prompt to the fest!

Arthur Pendragon looked like a broken man when he pulled Guinevere Leodegrance into a vacant classroom. Pale and shaking, and his gaze watery, he looked fit to collapse.

Gwen stared at him in surprise.

“I look like shit. I know.”

“I never said that.”

“You don’t have to.” Arthur offered a strained smile. It made the shadows and tear tracks seem even more stark against his pale skin. He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Sophia dumped me.”

“What?!” Gwen couldn’t contain her shock at the news. She’d seen how the pair of them interacted over the last nine months. She couldn’t imagine a couple more comfortable and in love than Arthur and Sophia. “Why?!”

His strained smile crumpled as soon as she asked the question.

“I’m sorry; don’t answer that.” Gwen touched his arm in an attempt to soothe him and almost gasped as he tremored in her grasp. She squeezed gently, feeling the need to reassure him. “You don’t have to tell me.”

“She thinks I’m gay,” Arthur answered bitterly, voice trembling. Several tears spilled before he regained control of himself and all Gwen wanted to do was swaddle him in a comfort blanket. “She…she said she was letting me go. Said I was in denial when I tried to explain that I’m bi.”

Gwen felt like she’d been punched in the gut. She did hug him then. She threw her arms around him and crushed him against her. A moment passed before Arthur hugged her in return. He buried his face against her shoulder and clung to her. Gwen rubbed a soothing hand between his shoulder blades.

Arthur withdrew eventually; it was obvious that he needed to regain some semblance of control over his emotions. Usually, he wasn’t prone to such emotional outbursts. Not when it came to shedding tears at least. He was a man that tended to throw a fist before admitting that he was in pain. But…he supposed even the most robust men had their limits and it seemed biphobia was his.

“I’m so sorry, Arthur.”

“It’s…” He compressed his lips abruptly, as though realising that a claim that things were fine would be futile. “I’ll get past it. But that isn’t what I wanted to talk about.”

Arthur turned away, breathing hard. And then his shoulders seemed to deflate. He moved over to the wall and then settled on the floor with his back braced against it. He wrapped his arms around his knees. He avoided looking at her.

It pained Gwen to see him so upset. Lost. As though he had no one in the world to turn to. Seeing him like this wasn’t right. Heart aching, Gwen moved to sit next to him and just waited for him to feel ready, for him to open up about whatever he needed to talk to her about.

“Your help. I need it.” Arthur looked at her finally, hope and dread waging war in his gaze. “Father is expecting to meet Sophia next week. He doesn’t know her name…but I’ve been raving about her for months. Telling him how wonderful she is.”

Gwen felt her heart breaking. She could hear the grief in his voice. She could see the tremor in his hand as he pushed a few locks of hair back from his forehead. She could almost taste the bitterness radiating from him. Resting her hand on his leg was instinctive.

Arthur didn’t pull away; he chose to capture her hand with his instead. The hope in his gaze seemed to grow stronger as their contact continued. Finally, Arthur added quietly, but weakly, “I need someone to meet him. To pretend to be with me.”

“Arthur…I’m sure he’d understand.”

“No.” He shook his head so fast that it threatened to disorientate _Gwen_. “You don’t understand. You don’t know him. He wants me to get married as soon as possible. He doesn’t give a shit whether I love them or not. He’d have arranged a wedding, if I hadn’t started dating Sophia. You’ve no idea how fortunate I was when I found her. I _loved_ her. So much. But knowing I was dating someone kept him quiet. Gwen…I need help. Please. I don’t know what else to do!”

Gwen knew it was wrong. Knew she shouldn’t go along with such a farce. But she couldn’t stand to see him suffering such anguish. Distantly, she heard herself say, “I’ll do it. I’ll help.”

It was the worst decision she’d ever made.

Probably. 

**Author's Note:**

> Not Beta'd. All mistakes are mine.
> 
> Artist sign-ups for the [Merlin Rarepair Winter Fest](https://pendragonsandco-winterholidays.tumblr.com/post/180639861518/welcome-to-pendragons-and-companys-winter-in) are open, if anyone would like to participate!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [I'm so sorry, Arthur](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17904443) by [ella_rose88](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ella_rose88/pseuds/ella_rose88)




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